alternatehistory.com

21 October

Diaz begins clandestine plans to 'regularize' control of Republican Mexico, based on the fact that the man who would be the designated successor to Juarez (Ortega) is currently held captive by the Imperialist government after his defence of Puebla ended in capture.

At around the same time, the Republican faction in the south of the country holds their own election to select a "President-designate" - the claim being that there must be a clearly designated head of government.

22 October

HMS Taurus is formally purchased by the Japanese Bakfu. She is renamed Ushidoshi Maru, and will be delivered via a tow by HMS Furious at least as far as Singapore (since the Furious is being sent to New Zealand to replace the lost Curacoa).
She travels without her guns to reduce draft and increase freeboard (a matter of safety - the Ushidoshi Maru is not the most seaworthy craft, though she can cruise under her own sail and steam both) which follow in a civilian screw steamer also purchased by the Bakfu -this time directly from the owners.
On arrival in Japan, she will be rearmed with four 110 pounder Armstrong rifles, four 68 pounder smoothbores and four 32 pounder smoothbores - six guns total per side.


24 October

The results of the election for the southern Mexican Republicans are sufficiently in for arguments to start. As it has transpired, each region has voted overwhelmingly for the local candidate, and as a consequence no-one has a majority.
Acrimonious messages begin to travel back and forth.


26 October
Work on the new Danish constitution is proving completely intractable - the London Protocol is nearly impossible to fulfil given the state of the dynasties, as Schleiswig and Denmark share the next in line (albeit a cadet branch) but Holstein does not, and the prospective inheritor of Holstein claims the entire Danish Federation but is considered overly German by the people of Denmark. Further complicating matters is that the Protocol itself states that the constititional affinity of Denmark to the two duchies (Schleiswig and Holstein) should be no greater between the one and the other.

The closest thing to a resolution would be for Schleiswig and Denmark to remain in personal union and Holstein to drop out, but nobody considers this the best result. The solution being pursued by the Danish parliament is to accept the reality of the succession - losing Holstein - and then to rectify the constitutional problems rather than allow them to continue to fester, though even this is merely a majority view.


29th October

A French-led Imperial assault on the city of Guadalajara results in an interruption in the flow of letters about who won what from whom in the recent election.
Also on this date, Diaz activates his plans to rectify the lack of organized government in the Republican-held areas in the north of Mexico. Officers loyal to him seize control of three of the largest cities in the Republican-held zone, but fail to consolidate their hold on Chihiahua itself after the former escort regiments of Juarez (still on alert and trying to make up for their failure) react before the coup-de-main has gathered momentum.

30th October

Ortega reads the newspapers provided by his jailers, and puts his head in his hands in dismay.